Method for detecting a voltage collapse

Abstract

A method detects a working voltage collapse by use of an electric component, in which the exceeding of a critical characteristic of the working voltage is monitored and an excess is detected as a collapse. Accordingly, in order to recognize the collapse breakdown in a simple trouble-free manner, a model voltage generated by a model circuit is used as the critical characteristic.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for detecting a collapse of a working voltage across an electrical component and for initiating a protective measure, which comprises the steps of:
 providing a capacitor as the electrical component; 
 with a comparator, comparing the working voltage with a critical characteristic and upon detecting that the working voltage drops below the critical characteristic, outputting a signal from the comparator indicating that the collapse has been detected; 
 activating a bypass to short-circuit a voltage output in response to the signal output from the comparator, wherein the bypass discharges the capacitor; and 
 using a model voltage generated by a model circuit as the critical characteristic, wherein an incipient drop in the working voltage triggers the model voltage to start to drop. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the model circuit generates the model voltage from the working voltage. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the model circuit is a hardware circuit that generates the model voltage from the working voltage using only hardware elements. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein as the working voltage increases the model voltage also increases and the model voltage is decoupled from a drop in the working voltage by the model circuit. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a drop in the model voltage takes place independently of a profile of a drop in the working voltage with a drop rate preset by the model circuit using hardware. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the drop rate of the model voltage that is decoupled from the working voltage is dependent on an initial voltage of the working voltage. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein on crossing the critical characteristic, the working voltage is forced substantially above the critical characteristic by a measuring element. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises decoupling the model voltage from a drop in the working voltage via at least one diode. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein in an initial state, the model voltage is spaced apart from the working voltage by a noise margin. 
     
     
       10. A converter module, comprising:
 a capacitor; 
 a monitoring unit for monitoring a profile of a working voltage across said capacitor for a crossing of a critical characteristic, said monitoring unit having a model circuit for generating a model voltage and a comparator for comparing the working voltage with the model voltage and for issuing a signal if the working voltage drops below the model voltage as the critical characteristic, wherein an incipient drop in the working voltage triggers the model voltage to start to drop; and 
 a bypass being activatable to short-circuit a voltage output in response to the signal output from the comparator, wherein the bypass discharges the capacitor. 
 
     
     
       11. The converter module according to  claim 10 , further comprising a switch having two DC supply lines, said capacitor is positioned between said two DC supply lines of said switch. 
     
     
       12. A converter configuration, comprising:
 a number of converter modules each having a capacitor and a monitoring unit for monitoring a profile of a working voltage across said capacitor for a crossing of a critical characteristic, said monitoring unit having a model circuit for generating a model voltage and a comparator for comparing the working voltage with the model voltage and for issuing a signal if the working voltage drops below the model voltage as the critical characteristic, said converter modules are connected in 2×3 series and an external connections of three of said series circuits each form a DC voltage side, wherein an incipient drop in the working voltage triggers the model voltage to start to drop.